Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange

by Jenny Kane

  Dylan joined in. ‘I’m going to make her a card, aren’t I, Dad?’

  ‘You are. She’ll love it.’ Wondering if this was the time to tell Dylan why he wanted this to be an extra special birthday for Helen, but remembering he’d promised they’d tell Dylan about their relationship together, Tom looked at Bert. ‘I’m not sure she is a party type person.’

  ‘I know!’ Dylan bounced on the sofa. ‘One of Sam’s bonfire dinners with jacket potatoes and stuff. They’re fab.’

  ‘Not a bad idea.’ Bert ruffled Dylan’s hair. ‘But with champers rather than tea and coffee.’

  ‘And balloons, Dad. Harriet says you have to have balloons at a party.’

  Thirty-five

  Tuesday April 7th

  As Mabel twirled in a skirt, top and jacket that would have been the envy of any mother of the bride, Tina couldn’t help but wonder what her mum would have worn if she’d been there. She hoped she’d have approved of the soft lilac ensemble Mabel was parading before her.

  Guessing what was going on in her friend’s mind, Mabel picked up a nearby box of tissues and sat next to Tina.

  ‘I never had the honour of knowing your parents, but I’m sure they’d be very proud of you and I have no doubt at all they’d have approved of Sam.’

  ‘Thanks, Mabel.’ Tina sniffed into a tissue. ‘How did you know I was thinking about them?’

  ‘Who else would you think about at this time?’ She patted Tina’s knee. ‘Now, if this outfit is okay with you, I think I’ll add it to the tally.’

  ‘You look wonderful.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Mabel clambered back to her feet. ‘Now it’s just Bert, Shaun and Dylan to worry about suit wise.’

  ‘And Sam and Tom.’ Tina escorted Mabel back to the changing room.

  ‘No dear, they were in the forces. They’ll have dress uniforms.’

  Tina stopped moving. ‘I wondered why Sam changed the subject when I mentioned him getting a suit this morning. He mumbled something about booking a fitting in Taunton, but I didn’t know how, when he’s unlikely to want to go into the shop. Perhaps that’s what was on his mind? His uniform, I mean. It hadn’t occurred to me he’d want to wear it after all he went through. I don’t even know where it is.’

  ‘He must do what feels best for him. Shame though,’ Mabel smirked, ‘Bert used to look a regular bobby dazzler in uniform.’

  *

  The far corner of the drawing room resembled a chocoholic’s heaven. Thea could smell the enticing aroma of chocolate hanging in the air as Helen added the final box to the castle-like construction.

  ‘Now all we need is a sunny day.’ Thea looked across to Helen. ‘I’m sorry Easter Sunday falls on your birthday, and you have to work that day.’

  ‘I’d rather work to be honest. Keep my mind off the big four-oh.’

  ‘You still bothered about that?’ Thea dropped onto the nearest sofa with a soft thump. ‘I thought you’d be looking forward to it, now you have someone to spoil you rotten.’

  ‘He hasn’t mentioned it, and I don’t like to, especially as I told him a few weeks ago that I didn’t want to celebrate it.

  ‘But you weren’t together then. Surely now—’

  Helen sat down with a groan. ‘Would you mind if we didn’t talk about it?’

  Thea frowned. ‘You two are okay, aren’t you?’

  ‘Sure.’ Helen’s eyes ran over the chocolate mountain as she switched the focus back to Thea. ‘You need to talk to Shaun before he finds out about Julian’s proposal and everything gets ruined.’

  Respecting Helen’s need to change the subject, but wondering if the ‘everything getting ruined’ comment referred to Helen and Tom as well as, potentially, her and Shaun, Thea agreed, ‘I’ll do it today.’ She gestured to the eggs. ‘We need to decide where these are going to be hidden first.’

  ‘Dylan is going to help with that.’

  ‘Excellent.’ Thea smiled.

  ‘We could draw up egg hiding treasure maps of the house and garden. In the meantime, I ought to crack on with the book.’

  ‘I meant to ask how that’s going.’

  ‘Somewhere between slowly and stopped. I’ve made a lot of notes, but no actual words have happened.’

  ‘They’ll come.’

  ‘Soon, hopefully.’ Helen looked out through the drawing room window. ‘Because I have a feeling that time is running out.’

  *

  Sam greeted Tina and Mabel as the car pulled onto the drive.

  ‘Judging by those grins, you two have had a successful morning.’

  Tina threw her arms around Sam. ‘We have. Your fiancée has a dress that has been fully fitted, while Mabel is the proud owner of an outfit so stunning, the Queen herself would be envious.’

  ‘Excellent.’ Sam rubbed his dirty hands down his trousers. ‘Anything you need me to carry inside?’

  ‘It’s all being kept at the boutique for now, thanks. Which is just as well with your grubby mitts!’

  ‘I’ve just finished giving the chicken coop a spring clean. I can’t say Gertrude and co were enamoured to have me fussing around them, but it’s a lot cleaner and cosier in there now.’

  Mabel clucked in a manner not unlike Gertrude. ‘Talking of spring cleaning, time we were all rolling our sleeves up if you want Mill Grange to look its best on Sunday. Come on, no time like the present.’

  ‘Hang on, Mabel! Lunch first, I’m famished.’ Tina rested a hand on her friend’s arm. ‘And don’t you want to go and see Bert?’

  ‘Oh yes, you’re probably right.’ She looked sheepish. ‘I was getting a bit carried away again. Sorry. I’ve just had such a nice few days, I wanted to help to say thank you.’

  ‘You’ve been amazing, and we would love your help later, but right now, I’m pooped, so you must be too.’

  ‘I am a bit,’ Mabel admitted. ‘But as soon as you need me, I’ll be ready.’

  ‘Are you sure I can’t I offer you a lift home, Mabel?’ Tina gestured to the car they’d just climbed out of.

  ‘Some fresh air will do me good.’ Mabel waved as she walked away. ‘I’ll see you both tomorrow.’

  As Mabel disappeared from view, Sam kissed the top of Tina’s head. ‘The frocks are sorted then?’

  ‘One more fitting for Thea and Helen, and that’s it.’ Tilting her head to one side, Tina asked, ‘Did you make your appointment to hire a suit?’

  ‘Umm, no. I keep getting sidetracked. It’s not like what I wear is important. Everyone will be looking at you.’

  ‘But Sam, it isn’t long now.’ Tina felt bad about what she was about to say, but knew if couldn’t be avoided. ‘You don’t have to go into the shop. You can order one online and stuff.’

  ‘I know.’ Sam played one of her pigtails through his fingers. ‘It isn’t my claustrophobia that’s the problem this time.’

  ‘Tell me?’

  ‘They’ll expect me to wear my uniform.’

  ‘Your parents?’ Tina slipped her palm into his and towed Sam towards the kitchen.

  ‘Not just them. Bert and Mabel. And probably Tom as well. He told me he’s trying to get his out of storage.’

  ‘And you think if Tom’s in his uniform, then you should be too?’

  ‘Something like that.’

  Flicking the kettle on at the switch, Tina smiled. ‘I won’t pretend I wouldn’t like to see you in uniform, because I know you’d look mouth-watering, but I want you to stand at the head of the aisle feeling relaxed and happy. If an army uniform is going to give you flashbacks then don’t wear it. You’ll look great in a suit too.’

  Sam kissed her again. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘What for?’

  ‘For saying what I needed to hear.’ Sam unhooked two mugs from the rack. ‘Don’t tell Helen about Tom looking for his uniform. He wants it to be a surprise.’

  ‘I bet she’ll love that.’ Tina paused. ‘She’s been very quiet lately. I hope they’re alright.’

  ‘Probably a bit low
because she’s leaving.’ Sam headed to the fridge for some milk. ‘I’m assuming she is going. She’s not told me she’s staying.’

  ‘Come to think of it, Helen hasn’t said much about anything lately.’ Tina mused. ‘She was quiet at the dress fitting, although she looked stunning. With her in that dress and Tom in uniform, I’d be putting money on another wedding being just around the corner if I was a gambling sort of girl. Do you know where Helen is?’

  ‘Thea told me she was planning to write some of her book.’

  Tina cradled her newly poured coffee. ‘That’s probably on her mind too. It’s a great idea to have a book about the fortlet, but how people get all those words from their heads onto paper to turn them into a book worth reading, I’ll never know.’

  *

  Helen tapped Chapter One: Exmoor and the Romans onto the screen of her laptop and stared at it for a long time. Then she deleted it and tried again. Chapter One: The Romans on Exmoor.

  ‘Better.’ She absentmindedly picked up the stone Dylan had given her and played it around her palm.

  ‘Think of it like writing a load of papers. That’s what Tom said.’ She turned the pages of her notebook over to see the copious lists of information she needed to include and double check, not to mention the list of references she’d need to put in the bibliography at the back of the book. ‘If there ever is a book.’

  Slamming her notebook shut, Helen looked at the stone in her hand. ‘This is ridiculous. I’m feeling sorry for myself and I don’t even know if I have anything to feel sorry about. Perhaps I’m making assumptions. Dylan’s only five, maybe he got it wrong – and even if he didn’t, Sue might want them to be a family, but that doesn’t mean Tom does.’ She focused on Dylan’s stone. But if them being together makes Dylan happy, then Tom will go back to Sue. He’d do anything to make his son happy. Helen’s throat closed in on itself. And so would I.

  As if conjured by her thoughts, Helen heard the sound of running wellies across the gravel outside the storeroom. Hastily patting her damp eyes with a tissue, she saw a small round face peer around the door.

  ‘Dad said if you were busy, I should leave you alone. Are you busy, Helen?’

  Helen’s heart melted on the spot. Even if she had been in the middle of the most productive writing session of all time, she’d have claimed otherwise. ‘I’m not, and as it happens, I wondered if you’d help me with something.’

  ‘Yes, please!’ Dylan ran on into the storeroom. ‘Oh, you’re holding my stone. Do you still love it?’

  Helen glanced at her hand. She hadn’t realised she was still holding it. ‘I love it very much.’

  Thirty-six

  Tuesday April 7th

  Shaun’s mouth dropped open as Thea led him into the drawing room. ‘That is a serious chocolate haul.’

  ‘Great, isn’t it?’ Thea smiled. ‘Helen and Dylan are in the garden, drawing up plans where to hide them.’

  ‘How many are being hidden at once?’

  ‘Two hundred, with Dylan on duty replacing the ones that have been found.’

  ‘He’ll love that.’

  ‘I suspect Helen’s secretly hoping the running around will wear him out so he falls asleep early. She hasn’t said anything, but I think Dylan being here twenty-four-seven is denting her alone time with Tom more than they expected.’

  ‘Hardly surprising.’ Shaun looped an arm around Thea’s waist. ‘So, what was it you wanted to talk about? You made it sound serious.’

  Thea sat on the sofa and patted the seat next to her. ‘Will you promise to let me finish speaking before you get cross?’

  Shaun’s forehead creased. ‘Why would I get cross?’

  ‘Because this concerns an email I received from Julian, and I would rather you didn’t jump to conclusions about him fancying me. Because he doesn’t.’

  Looking far from reassured, Shaun said, ‘Go on then. What’s he done now?’

  ‘I’m not sure “done” is the right world. It’s what he’s proposing I do. Look.’ Thea picked up her phone and scrolled through her emails so Shaun could read Julian’s invitation to a business meeting at The Harborough Hotel. ‘What bothers me most is that he didn’t want me to talk to you about it.’

  Thea ploughed on while Shaun read; determined to give him the whole story before he reacted. She detailed as much as she could remember about the overheard telephone conversation in the pub, about Julian wanting to “manoeuvre the right person into doing the interview” and how whatever it was he was up to had “worked a treat” and that “the production team were very impressed” because he’d had “a private word in the right ear”.

  ‘Honestly, Shaun, the man is so slimy.’

  Shaun said nothing. He just sat staring at her, making Thea’s blood chill as she saw him battling not to get angry. Taking a deep breath, she kept talking, telling him about how Julian had intercepted her outside the campervan before they came home and how, most important of all, she hadn’t told Shaun any of this at the time because she didn’t want to upset him.

  ‘And, to be frank, I wouldn’t trust Julian as far as I could spit and—’

  ‘What text?’ Shaun cut across her, his tone sharp.

  ‘Pardon?’

  ‘It says here, in this email, that there was a text.’ He paused before reading out Julian’s words, ‘As you haven’t replied to my text, I have had to assume it never reached you. Well? Did it reach you?’

  Thea licked her lips, ‘Yes, but I was ignoring it. I didn’t want to ruin things. We were having fun, and to be honest—’

  ‘Having fun?’ Shaun sighed. ‘We were. And yet all the time you were keeping secrets. A phone call you overheard, a text and this email. How much else have you not shared with me, Thea?’

  ‘Nothing!’ Guilt knotted within Thea. ‘I know I should have told you straightaway, but I didn’t want to upset you. I was so afraid of hurting you, and, as I have no intention of doing anything for Julian once the show is fully recorded…’

  As Shaun’s eyes clouded, his countenance drawn, Thea felt an unexpected urge to giggle. He looked just like a Victorian school master, sat in a Victorian drawing room, waiting to tell the parent of an errant pupil what a disappointment they were. She didn’t giggle though. Shaun’s next words stole the impulse before her lips had even formed into a curve.

  ‘You tell me all this now, long after the event, and expect me to believe Julian doesn’t fancy you or that you don’t fancy him?’

  ‘What? Are you insane? Of course I don’t!’

  ‘What other reason would you have for keeping this from me? After the hard time you gave me for not even realising Sophie liked me in Cornwall – now you’re being just as blind. Worse! You aren’t blind – you’re refusing to be honest about his or your feelings.’ Shaun’s words stayed horribly calm, sadness echoing in every syllable. ‘And it’s not just me that this affects!’ Shaun was on his feet. ‘I can’t believe you’d do this to Ajay and Andy. After all the AA have done for you. If it hadn’t been for them, you’d never have found the fortlet, and this place wouldn’t be doing so well.’ He raked a hand through his hair, making his fringe stick out at awkward angles.

  Thea’s mouth dropped open. ‘I know that! This is nothing to do with that. I was trying to do the right thing! To protect your feelings. I didn’t want to freak out anyone about the phone call I overheard until I knew I wasn’t getting the wrong end of the stick. You know what half heard conversations are like! It might have been nothing to do with Landscape Treasures at all.’

  ‘Oh no you don’t!’ Shaun was shaking his head. ‘Of course it was about Landscape Treasures! Don’t you remember what Julian said at that meal?’ Aware he was shouting, and not wanting to be overheard, Shaun hissed, ‘This has got to be about what he was saying about a shake up after Treasure Hunters change format!’

  The colour drained from Thea’s face. ‘But it might not. What if I’d told you all what I’d heard and it had become gossip – and I’d been wrong?�
� Thea felt sick as she regarded Shaun’s closed off expression. ‘And that call might have had nothing at all to do with Julian wanting to talk to me about being a presenter. Which, by the way, I haven’t agreed to – nor will I. I like my life here, thank you very much!’

  Neither of them spoke. Thea stared across the short space between them on the sofa. It was only half a metre, but it might as well as have been three miles. The scent of chocolate, deliciously heady only moments ago, now turned her stomach. She could hear Helen’s words echoing through the back of her mind. ‘Tell him before everything gets ruined’.

  Shaun got up. He gave her a long hard stare, before walking away without another word.

  Thea sat, frozen, unsure how she’d screwed up their conversation so completely. Fear made her feet move as her brain screamed out unhelpful questions. Where has Shaun gone? Has he gone gone? Have I just screwed the best thing in my life?

  Running from the room, she took a guess that he’d headed outside and dashed to the backdoor. Glad that Tina and Sam had gone to visit Bert and Mabel, so no one was in the kitchen to ask her what was going on, Thea was in time to see Shaun disappearing into the woods. Without even stopping to put some shoes on, she ran after him.

  Her mind raced; she had no idea what to say. She’d hurt him, and she deserved to be shouted at a bit, but not left. Not when all she’d tried to do was spare his feelings.

  Thea was almost on his heels, when Shaun stopped moving and swung round to face her. ‘Go on then. Explain. Why didn’t you tell me about the text and email straight away? And yes, I get why you didn’t mention the phone call in front of the AA, as they can be a bit gossipy, but why not tell me? We were alone straight after we’d had lunch. Why not say then? I never had you down as someone who enjoys playing games, Thea, so tell me. Why?’

  ‘I was trying to!’ Suddenly angry, Thea’s hands gripped her hips. ‘Okay then, how’s this for why. I think Julian wants me to replace you as the presenter of the show.’

  ‘What?’ Shaun sagged back against the nearest tree.

  Stepping forward, determined not to soften too fast, Thea lowered her voice, speaking with quiet determination. ‘Look, I’m sorry, Shaun. I have no evidence, just a hunch, and as I’d never rob the man I love of his job in a million years, I didn’t want to say anything until I knew it to be a fact. But get this straight – I DO NOT FANCY JULIAN.’